Having lost that winning feeling on our travels and with only a late, unexpected intervention from Andy Carroll preventing consecutive away losses, it's fair to say that we needed this victory.

Although our recent pair of home wins had calmed some discontent and even gained vocal approval from the singing corner, life away from Barrack Road has been less than wonderful since late 2009. Exiting Oakwell, Hillsborough and the Walkers and Liberty Stadiums, the general mood was hardly positive - even though each preceding 90 minutes had seen our points tally go up a notch. 

As efficient a job as we've done this season away from SJP was achieved in Hertfordshire though, thanks to an early goal in each half and a no-nonsense, focused approach from front to back. Our cohesive display even managed to overcome appearing in those dreaded white shorts.... 

A Vicarage Road pitch regularly churned up by egg chasers and soon to host Reg Dwight's stack heel boots proved to be Watford's undoing. The surface had looked OK at kickoff began to take on the consistency of mushy peas when moisture was added - Wayne Routledge's little legs would probably have stuck in the churned-up goo....

Having been routinely criticised all season for an absence of pace and creativity in the centre, the conditions perhaps hindered Newcastle less, as they were able to make progress down the left flank and benefit from some set piece plays.

When desperation drove the Hornets into a more direct approach ie hoofing the ball towards Steve Harper's goal, they started to ask more questions of United in much the same way as they had done without reward at SJP against ten men last December.

But on a good day for the United defence, the Hornets lacked either guile (in the absence of suspended Cleverley) or presence, with Gateshead-born Danny Graham a poor man's Andy Carroll. The match-up between World Cup hopeful Coloccini and former Northern League player Graham was something of an unequal contest.

Pleasingly, there was no opportunity for Cramlington-born Martin Taylor to celebrate, after the former Blackburn defender and alleged Toon fan spurned the opportunity to become a Magpie in January, apparently preferring the comfort of a longer contract with the Hornets rather than the chance to make an impression at SJP.

Instead it was Mike Williamson who left Vicarage Road in good heart, having begun the season in the home dressing room here and inevitably received some stick on his first return, via Portsmouth. He and Smith visibly clashed on the field in added time after a disagreement over the Watford goal, but according to all parties it was a case of friends reunited shortly after full time.

And also departing in good form and fettle was left back loanee Patrick Van Aanholt, who made a worthwhile contribution during his seven game stint as Enrique's stand-in. Having found his feet in this division previously with Coventry proved to be a bonus as he hit the ground running - and tackling - within a few minutes of his Magpies debut at Leicester.

Along with Williamson and Routledge, that deal looks like a positive for Hughton and evidence of progression in the transfer market this year after the Pancrate deal that looked like little more than doing a deal to get one on the board. We'll abstain on the Leon Best question; when we talked about an Ameobi replacement we didn't mean it like that...

Newcastle made a trio of replacements in the closing stages, with Ryan Taylor and Fabrice Pancrate arriving as they had done in the previous two games - although they weren't able to conjure up a goal on this occasion. Nile Ranger also appeared for the first time in six matches.

Any victory at this stage of the season is prized and to have achieved it with a better display than at Swansea was something of a relief, given the steadily increasing number of absentees. That didn't in the end include Kevin Nolan, despite widespread claims that he was set to miss out with an Achilles problem. 

His possible absence and the inevitable Smith suspension could see our next selection issue come in central midfield, but Danny Guthrie can probably cope with that, with no sign yet of Barton returning to action - or being any more in Hughton's plans than as a source of summer transfer capital.

The usual caveats about concerns for the future remain, but we're another three points nearer to a happy ending and starting to allay fears of our own personal nemesis - the playoffs. Back on track.

Biffa